Devices for preventing liquid from flowing out of nozzle bodies under gravity have been addressed heretofore. For example, Ohta U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,669 discloses various spaced apart, perforated plate designs consisting of intersecting, connected warp and weft portions, for use within the discharge end of the nozzle body for the purpose described above. The suggested plates have a particular thickness and any of square, circular, triangular, or hexagonal etched-out openings formed therein, with a specified opening ratio of the total volume of the openings to the total volume, inclusive of the openings, of the etched plate.
Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,276 discloses a laminar stream faucet spout attachment including spaced apart perforated plates and nettings.
Kelly U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,294 discloses a plurality of relatively closely spaced fine mesh screens, separated by O-rings, at the discharge opening of a liquid filling machine for eliminating or minimizing the formation of foam as the liquid is poured through the screens into containers.
Each of Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,444 and Parkinson U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,439 disclose stacked, downwardly semispherical or concaval screens. Holden U.S. Pat. No. 2,643,104 and Nelson U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,786 disclose upwardly semispherical or concaval disc screens and/or cone screens.
McDonald U.S. application, Ser. No. 797,176, now abandoned assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, discloses stacked wave-shaped or dimpled, perforated plates, wherein separate spacers are not required.
Esper U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,862, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, discloses closely wound coil springs of various configurations, wherein the coils are deflected downwardly so as to be urged apart under fluid pressure to permit flow therepast.